


His Brother's Keeper (A Story)

by TrufaxRex



Series: To the Sky [5]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Angst, Multi, Permanent Injury, References to Suicide, Wingfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-14
Updated: 2013-02-14
Packaged: 2017-11-29 05:22:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/683301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrufaxRex/pseuds/TrufaxRex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Gabriel tells Dean a Story (he thought they’d grow back)</p>
            </blockquote>





	His Brother's Keeper (A Story)

“I had three brothers, we were all from the same clutch. My childhood is fairy hazy, it was a long time ago. But it was always the four of us, no matter what. Michael was the oldest. Then me, Raphael and Lucifer. We were practically inseparable, and we became a flock. No question about it. We loved each other more than anything and everyone looked up to us.” This is said with no amount of smugness, instead stated as fact. If anything there lies a hint of underlying sadness in the confession.

Dean has not looked up from his work; however it is clear he is listening to Gabriel speak. 

“My youngest brother, Lucifer was always the most adventurous of us. He was curious about why we isolated ourselves from the rest of the world. He yearned for knowledge outside of our valley and was not afraid to go after it. Michael, being the oldest, hated Lucifer’s curiosity. He would punish anyone who encouraged it and forbade Lucifer to even speak of the outside world. Michael was hard on all of us, but especially Lucifer.” Gabriel smiles sadly. “We all loved each other, yes. But the way Michael loved Lucifer was different. He was scared of Lucifer’s need for independence and his lack of respect for the old customs and beliefs. It was during this time that things were changing, despite Michael trying to stop it. We all became curious about the outside in someway; though very few were brave enough to speak about it out loud.

“For all that we knew Lucifer wanted to leave, we never expected he would do it. Maybe if Raphael and I had taken the situation more seriously we could have avoided… so much. But we just thought it was a phase, something that would pass and eventually be forgotten. We ignored it, Raphael was a skilled healer and very busy, and I just wanted to have fun and hated the tension.” Gabriel stops now, and his bright gold eyes watch as Dean slows in what he is doing. “It was a week before the full moon. Lucifer went out one night, and with a group of young Aviant’s, snuck past the guards and left the valley. They were gone for three days and the valley was in a state of shock, but also awe. Michael was furious. I had never seen him so angry, and there was nothing Raphael or I could do to soothe his rage. We both avoided the Nest after the first night, unable to bear his anger.”

Gabriel swallows thickly, suddenly overcome with emotion. Dean has stopped working and listens now, his back to the older Aviant.

“When Lucifer came back. We thought maybe it would be okay. His curiosity would be satisfied. He had come home after all. He brought books and clothes and little things made by humans and the like. It was interesting. But Michael, I think that it terrified Michael even if he didn’t show it. He had the things Lucifer brought back burned and the guards at the entrance of the valley increased. Lucifer and Michael fought so badly they nearly tore our Nest apart. Raphael and I had to split them up, try and talk them down. Lucifer seemed willing to talk it out, because as much as he wanted to explore, he loved Michael more than anything. Things settled down it seemed, we managed to clean up and eat without further incident.

“Michael and Lucifer went out that night to talk. Raphael and I thought it was a good idea; they seemed to have calmed down significantly. We went to bed; sure that everything would be fine in the morning. But when we woke up, only Michael was back, sitting on one of the branches below the Nest. He barely acknowledged us as we brought him inside. Eventually we asked where Lucifer was and he said he was by the lake. I went after him…”

Gabriel draws a deep breath and clenches his fists. No longer is he focused on Dean so much, his eyes seem distanced and pained. “Lucifer was by the lake, under a small tree. There was blood and he was crying. Michael had… had ripped out his flight feathers. Ripped them out and burned them right in front of him. So that he would never be able to leave again. I couldn’t believe it, almost refused to. What is an Aviant but the sum of his wings? I had no idea what we were going to do. I brought him to Castiel’s Nest, and then got Raphael. I couldn’t even tell him what had happened, I was so sickened. I had hoped that there was something, anything Raphael could do to save him. But there was nothing. Michael had destroyed the feathers, so that Raphael could not even attempt to fix them. There was nothing we could do.”

“The next few days Lucifer slept and ate very little. We didn’t go back to the nest and Michael did not try and come to us. The full moon came, and it was the most painful thing in the world, to know that my Lucifer would never fly with us again. Raphael and I offered to stay with him, but he refused. He told us to go and he would sleep.” Gabriel pauses again. “We were so stupid. Even after everything that had happened we still.. We left him there alone. We came back that morning… He was on the ground. A broken neck. My brother was not foolish; he knew he could no longer fly. But he… he threw himself from Castiel’s Nest anyway. He killed himself. And yet, I was almost relieved. What kind of life could he have had after Michael, his own brother had mutilated him?”

There is a long extended silence, nothing but the wind blowing past them. Gabriel looks to Dean now, waiting.

Dean is trembling, and he turns to face Gabriel wide-eyed and tight-lipped. His eyes burn with fury and he points a shaking finger at the older Aviant. “You get out. Now.”

“All because Michael was afraid, Dean.” Gabriel’s eyes stare into his, unblinking and hard. “He loved his brother so much that he would do anything to keep him.”

“If you don’t shut the hell up right now.”

“I wondered what you did after your parents died. How you could have possibly survived after your home burned to the ground.” Gabriel is eerily calm. “You saved some of your Father’s furniture and sold it. But that only lasted for so long, didn’t it? And Sam, Sam who was trying to fly. Sam who didn’t understand the dangers of the world and Sam who is all you had left.”

“You don’t know anything.” Dean’s hands curl into fists and he looks ready to kill. 

“I know that Sam’s feather’s were pulled out. And I know that many feathers could make a man rich. More than enough to build a home and start a business.” Gabriel does not look afraid of Dean. He looks angry now, but there is pity in his eyes as well. “Its easier to protect someone who can’t leave you.”

Dean’s eyes widen and he shakes his head vehemently. He still trembles, but there is something in him that seems to break. “I gave him everything. He loved to learn so I gave him books, paper and ink and…” He squeezes his eyes shut. “I didn’t know.. I didn’t want.. I thought they’d grow back.”


End file.
